This invention relates to means for extracting and radiating heat from heat generating semiconductor devices, particularly as they are installed in arrays in electronic assemblies.
The use of auxiliary holders and encapsulations for extracting and radiating heat from semiconductor devices is a well known practice. However, in particular, for electronic assemblies in which a wide variety of electronic components and connective elements are installed on a circuit board with semiconductor devices which generate appreciable heat during operation, means must be provided for directing that heat away from the circuit board and components thereon. In particular, it is necessary to provide thermal conducting paths from the usual plurality of semiconductor devices in a circuit, to a common heat radiating member to avoid raising the ambient temperature of the electronic circuit to levels which damage the circuit. Moreover, it is desirable that the heat radiating member be readily assembled and disassembled to the electronic assembly and that design changes which add or remove semiconductor devices and accompanying thermal conducting means be done with ease and facility. Withal, the means providing the thermal path from the semiconductor device to the heat radiating member should be closely coupled thermally both to the semiconductor device and to the heat radiating member.